The first thing you need to know about birthday parties in Norway is that Norwegians are practical people. They are used to doing things themselves. Therefore they keep it simple.
Children’s birthday party. Forget about the big birthday parties for children that look like an amusement park, when parents’ friends are invited and spend a whole afternoon talking and drinking. In Norway, Children are the focus. Norwegian parents wouldn’t spend a fortune on fancy cakes, decoration and hire animators for their children’s celebration.
Decoration. There’s a Norwegian flag hanging outside the house as well as a few balloons. These are the signs that there’s someone’s birthday today.
Guests: Only children in the same classroom. At kindergarten and until forth grade at school, the child invites either all classmates or just all the boys or just all the girls. I admire the initiative to avoid excluding and bulling. If the birthday girl has a boy as a best friend, he can come to the party too along with all the girls. And vice-versa.
Food. It’s what Norwegian children like the most: Hot dog or pizza. Maybe some vegetables or finger food in addition. They are happy drinking saft. Homemade cake, maybe jelly. I always serve fruit salad too. Strawberries and blueberries are more popular.
Small kids. When the children are under four years-old, parents should come too. It’s super cozy. We get to know the other parents and can even make friends. Plus, we get coffee and cake. Usually it comes in the invitation: with one of the parents. Like I said: practical. Think what a crowd it would be if all parents showed up in a group of 7 kids. I love to come to birthday parties. Specially when the kids are small. It’s a chance to get out of the house and wear some nice clothes that had been stuck in your wardrobe. Also have good coffee (and cake) and nice conversations with other parents.
Very important: Adults don’t drink alcohol at children’s parties in Norway. Only if it’s adults’ party. I totally agree. Hello! We should be able to assist our children.
Then we sing happy birthday. It can be sung either in Norwegian or English (quicker and more international). Sometimes in Swedish. Lyrics below.
The party has a time to end, written on the invitation. It can be one and a half or two hours. ex: from 17.00 to 18.30. Be punctual to pick up your kid at the given time. I love it!! As the host, you plan, serve, talk, organize, administrate the whole event and then you know when it’s going to be over and you can clean it all and sit with you feet up, feeling relieved. As a party goer, you know you can have as much fun as possible and leave at the given time. For the kids it’s also great because they have a stablished routine: come, give present, play, eat hotdogs, play, sing and eat cake, find the treasure with goodies inside, leave.
Older kids celebrate at home, or places like trampoline parks. Still remains the same rule to invite everybody. The exception is for teenagers. They get to invite their best friends, as long as they don’t exclude only one or two kids. Norway has strict law against bulling. Check the informative website nullmobbing.no. It’s a good guidance for parents, teachers, etc.
50 year-old parties!
Becoming 50 in Norway is a big deal! That’s the age for Norwegians to celebrate. If you’ve read other posts on this blog, you probably know that Norwegians are not into self praising. You won’t see a Norwegian posting “Happy Birthday to Me!” What happens is, when they turn 50, it’s time to celebrate.
Not only fifty, but full ages: 30, 40 and 60 year-old birthdays. Those full dates are immensely celebrated in Norway.
I have been to a few 50’s. There’s usually a formal dinner at a restaurant or the person’s place. At restaurants they have defined seats for the guests.
Who is invited? Everyone who has been an important part of the person’s life.
Decoration. Flowers, nice table cloth, remember it’s a formal dinner.
After dinner, before dessert, a long line of speeches are expected. Childhood friends, school friends, college, work, family. Everybody wants to pay a tribute to the jubilant.
I wet to the Police station once to get my visa renewed. The attendant was wearing glasses with the number 50. She was turning fifty that day and her colleagues gave her the glasses and cake. She was so happy.
At my work, whenever an employee turns fifty, they get the day off, plus they get cake with their picture on it, speeches and a funny video tribute.
The most touching welcome-to-50’s party I’ve been to was to one of my husband’s friends. The party was only for women. It was formal, but super cozy, at her house. Her three best friends sang typical Norwegian songs and told jokes as they went through their youth together. It was so touching. And super entertaining. What a tribute she got. The tribute was so fantastic that another friend asked if she could borrow the three women for her own birthday party.
Norwegian birthday song:
Hurra for deg som fyller ditt år!
Ja, deg vil vi gratulere!
Alle i ring omkring deg vi står,
og se, nå vil vi marsjere.
Bukke nikke neie, snu oss omkring,
danse for deg med hopp og sprett og spring.
Ønske deg av hjertet alle gode ting!
Og si meg så, hva vil du mere?
Gratulere!
Translation:
Hooray for you who fill one more year! Yes, we want to congratulate you! Everyone makes a ring around you we stand, and behold, now we will march. Bend, nod, turn us around, dance for you with jumps and bounces. Wish you from the heart all the good things! And tell me then, what more do you want? Congratulations!
Muito interessantes as comemorações na Noruega.